All posts tagged mystery gift

For a select few–or maybe not so few

by noel.piper on May 7, 2012 in Europe with 9 Comments

Our time in Bucharest is coming to an end. Soon we fly to Geneva for the next part of this Europe trip, and that means this blog will be focused on Switzerland for the next few days.

I’m so thankful for all of you Romanians who’ve told me you’re reading my blog. As I told you, I count on you to straighten me out where I get something wrong. And I need you to stay with me.

I’m not finished with all I want to remember and write about Romania. So please keep reading, whether you’re from Romania or elsewhere. If you subscribe to the blog, it will be easy for you to know when something new is posted, and I’ll have the pleasure of knowing you’re traveling with me.

So the next mystery gift will be to encourage new subscribers. (As always, mystery means I don’t know yet what the gift is, but you’ll like it.)

If you haven’t yet subscribed, here’s what you need to do to be eligible:

  • Use one of the links in the sidebar to the right to subscribe. You can choose whether you want to receive each new post by email or to receive a notification in your feed reader.
  • After you subscribe, comment at this post to tell me so.
If you are already a subscriber, you are eligible for the drawing if someone subscribes because you recommend the blog to them. After that person subscribes, you comment here to confirm that you were the one that sent them.

That’s all there is to it. Deadline is the end of the day wherever you are on May 18. After that, one of you will be chosen randomly to receive the Mystery Prize.

I’ve loved being in Romania with you, whether I’ve met up with you here or you’re visiting via the blog. You’ve taught me a lot. And oh yes, I’ve had fun too.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Don’t miss the giveaways for this trip:

You can see photos from this trip, as they’re uploaded, at my Shutterfly Share Site.
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Subscribe to Tell Me When To Pack. Use the links to the right or click here.
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If you make a purchase after you click on some of the product links in a post or after you use an on-line shopping link in the sidebar, I receive a small commission, which costs you nothing extra. I recommend only items that I think will be of interest to my readers and that I probably have used personally or wish I had.
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I hope you’ll also visit my other blog–NoelPiper.com

Mystery gift from Brazil

by noel.piper on October 3, 2011 in South America with 38 Comments

I asked a couple of Brazil experts what they’d do if they were going to Brazil. Here’s the scoop, in order, from O and L, our grandchildren whose Mama is Brazilian.

  • O & L: Go see Vovô (Grandpa).
  • O & L: Go to Habib’s
  • Me: Why do you like Habib’s?
  • O: It has a kid’s play area.
  • Me: What else do you like to do in Brazil?
  • O: Ride in the swinging ship at “that mall” [in Fortaleza, too far from where we'll be this time].
  • L: Swim at the beach.
  • O: Eat crabs at the beach
  • O: Drink cold coconut water from a straw stuck in a hole in the coconut. L: Yuk!
  • L: Eat coconut that Mama scrapes off from inside the coconut.
  • (Their dad: Don’t forget Guarana.)

Those are the delights Brazil holds for a 6- and 5-year-old.

I want to know what it would be for you, so I’m continuing the Mystery Gift tradition that started with with the introduction of Tell Me When to Pack. If Internet connection cooperates during our trip, there should be a couple more opportunities to throw your name into the hat.

Here’s your first chance to be eligible for the Mystery Gift drawing. Comment once on this post, answering these questions:

  • What’s the first thing you think of when you think of Brazil?
  • Have you ever visited or lived in Brazil, or do you live there now?
  • What would be the top of your to-do list in Rio or Aguas de Lindoias (outside Sao Paulo)?

Bom dia, Brasil. Here we come.

Sydney icons, and 3 more chances to win

by noel.piper on August 31, 2011 in Oceania with 93 Comments

sydney harbour bridge and opera houseWhat’s the first thing most people see in their minds when they hear the word, Sydney? Yes, the Opera House. Right next to it, mentally and literally, is the Sydney Harbor (I mean Harbour) Bridge.

Yesterday, Kate and I took a ferry from Darling Harbour around to Circular Quay, sailing under the bridge and past the Opera House.

I was glad I had an extra camera battery along! Now I need your help. And in the process, you’ll have your name entered again, up to 3 more times.

Here’s what to do:

  • Comment at this post to tell me your one favorite of my Opera House Photos. Make clear which album you’re referring to, for example “#__ – Opera House.
  • Comment at this post to tell me your one favorite of my Bridge Photos. Make clear which album you’re referring to, for example “#__ – Bridge.
  • Comment at this post to tell me your one favorite of my Opera House with Bridge Photos. Make clear which album you’re referring to, for example “#__ – Opera House and Bridge.
  • Comment once for each choice, at total of 3 times.

That enters your name a total of three more times in the drawing for one of the mystery gifts from Down Under. I’ve been collecting some pretty special items with you in mind.

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Make sure your name is entered additional times for the Mystery Prize(s) from Down Under. Previous opportunities–#1 and #2 and #3.

 

Down Under, and another chance for the mystery gift

by noel.piper on August 23, 2011 in Oceania with 73 Comments

A drive up Mount Coot-tha for lunch: that was the first thing we did after we checked into our hotel in Brisbane today. The view over the city was wonderful, especially as it changed so often. Sun and then shadow and rain, then sun again. Thank you for that suggestion–and for all of the great ideas for our time here.

I learned a few things on the way here:

  • Northwest Airline had QSA’s–Quality Service Assistants. They do whatever is needed to smooth the way for travelers with unusual needs, from celebrities to film crews with mountains of equipment to the woman whose husband died in the airport or on the plane. Delta doesn’t have QSA’s, so now that NWA is Delta, it’s not clear whether this kind of service will continue at Minneapolis St. Paul Airport, which used to be a NWA hub.
  • The visa for visiting Australia is applied for online and will show up when the ticket agent prints your boarding pass.
  • Ticket agents working Sunday may be less experienced and think you don’t have a visa (according to the experienced guy at the service desk where we were sent), while agents working on busy Mondays can do it all.
  • If you leave Minneapolis on Sunday night, you arrive in Australia on Tuesday morning. I’m assuming we’ll get that day back on our way home? But I can’t do the math, because when we return, we’ll arrive in Los Angeles before we left Sydney. And wait a minute–I’m writing you on Tuesday, and you’re probably reading this on Monday? AAAGGGHHH, math!
  • It’s not wise to bring any uncooked anything into Australia. They are strict in order to maintain the unique indigenous ecosystem. A flight attendant told me she’d brought a can of natural almonds (i.e. not roasted) one time and it was confiscated. She said if you don’t claim all food, and they find any uncooked items, they will go through everything. So I checked the correct square because of the commercially packaged individual servings of natural almonds in my checked bag. Turns out it was no problem for me. But next time (I hope there’ll be a next time), I’ll avoid the possibility of hassle.
  • The Sydney airport is not well-marked for international arrivals. We wasted 1/2 hour going through unnecessary lines. Next time, I’ll ask directions at every turn.
  • On the Virgin flight from Sydney to Brisbane, Johnny asked for a Diet Pepsi as the cart came down the aisle. The flight attendant opened it, poured it, and asked for $2–the first time we’ve ever had to pay for a soft drink on a plane.
  • Watching Australia on the plane seemed like good cultural preparation, right? But, according to an Australian, it’s not quite like that. In particular, he mentioned the massive cliff and canyon in one dramatic scene. The northern territory is beautiful and rugged, and yet for this scene, the cliff was computer generated.
  • Brisbane is the most beautiful city in Australia, the same person told me. “But don’t say I said so, because I’m from Sydney.” So that’s what he said, but I won’t tell you who he is.

Well, I guess all that’s pretty random. Maybe after a good night’s sleep, I’ll be able to think one thought for more than one sentence.

Here’s a chance to get your name in a another time for the mystery gift from Australia. Subscribe to this blog, using a link in the right-hand sidebar, then comment on this post to tell me you’ve just done it or you already had.